From the website: “9INE provides a powerful spotlight on the decisions teens face when confronted with pregnancy. Viewers are directed to resources and information that take into account many diverse perspectives.”

A well-shot romantic comedy about Parrish, who, dumped by his girlfriend, goes on 12 blind dates. The problem: “one friend is secretly in love with Parrish and selects “not-so-great” dates, in hopes of coming in and winning his heart in the end.”

Four fabulous women deal with life and love. For more info, see here: “Well, as an avid fan of SATC, the TV series (not so much the films… blaah), Afro City looks the closest in spirit to being on a par with SATC as anything else I’ve seen, with the added bonus that it has it’s own unabashed flair, wit, style and individuality that only an afrocentric slant could lend to it.”

A soap opera about the Washington, D.C. neighborhood, including issues of marital problems, violence and same-sex love. Anthony Anderson, quoted in the Examiner, says the show is a throwback to the 80s primetime soaps: “The show is escapism…It shows Anacostia in a completely different way that I don’t think people get a chance to see. People usually see ‘local teen gets shot’, but, they don’t see everyday that there are people out there working, striving and have great lives.”

Bad relationship advice is given. ViaClutch: “Giving such horrible advice as force a relationship, call him a lot, and be happy being # 2 or #3, theBrown Betties Guide pokes fun all of the bad advice we’ve heard over the years.”

Buppies is a “mad-cap romp” through a day in the life of Quinci, played by Fresh Prince’s Tatyana Ali, a socialite and publicist enduring lots of drama amidst L.A.’s black upper crust. During this very bad day, she and her friends face issues of sexuality, pregnancy, dating, race, and careers and, most importantly, handle them in fabulous clothes!

Well-shot and deliberately paced, this thriller delves into a legal and financial mystery, at the center of which is investment banker Celeste Bright, whose loans to wealthy individuals has drawn the attention of the FBI.

A prequel to here! TV’s DL Chronicles, from the creators of the show: “The Chadwick Journals is a four part web mini-series which centers on The DL Chronicle‘s narrator, Chadwick Williams, in the beginning of his research into men who lead double lives. Fueled by a hidden painful past, Chadwick interviews various men who have answered his classified ads and takes us on a deeper journey into the DL, as he tries to right his past.”

Via Clutch: “Written, directed and produced by R.L. Scott (Touye Pwen) and starring many familiar faces, Champion Road looks like it’ll be one of my new favorites this year. Billed as “an action drama… surrounding a middle class Black family with a positive message depicting images of strong Black Men,” this show fills a void of what’s currently lacking from network TV. Peep the pilot episode.”

Chick, a new web series Soremekun self-financed, airs on web series network Koldcast.tv and RowdyOrbit, a new site distributing web series by and about people of color.

In the series, the protagonist Lisa leaves her loser boyfriend to pursue loftier dreams. She hears about a secret academy that trains superheroes, and the story progresses from there. While obviously a narrative of female empowerment, Soremekun does not want to scare off men; she wanted to story to have multiple layers.

Chrysalis, whose title refers to the cocoon an insect creates before it transforms, tells the story of Jamal, a young Muslim man living in Baltimore with an infant child and a less-than-desirable career choice: drug dealing. For my interview with the creator, click here.

A sitcom about a couple who try to keep their relationship steady. Via: “From the creators of Black & Sexy TV (and the film A Good Day to Be Black and Sexy), The Couple takes a look the ‘idiosyncrasies of dating and living together.’”

This Robert Townsend -produced series stars Monica Calhoun as a single mother looking to start her life over, not so glamorously. The series pulls in high profile guest stars like Billy Dee Williams and Richard Roundtree.

I wrote up a story on Townsend and Single Mom for Tubefilter here, and published a full transcript of my interview with Townsend here.

Diary of a Wedding Planner” is a scripted comedic webseries about a loveable wedding planner named Khristy who moves from a small town to Los Angeles in order to “play in the big leagues” and find love herself.

Drama Queenz, which is about three gay men trying to make it as actors and singers, is just one of several shows aimed at the underserved black gay and lesbian markets online. After the cancellation of television’s marquee gay and lesbian shows over the years—Queer As Folk, The L Word and Noah’s Arc, the only all-black show—Web producers have moved in to fill the gap.

“I didn’t want to wait around for somebody to greenlight my dream,” said Drama Queenz creator, director and writer Dane Joseph, who funds the series out of his pocket. “It’s not a show about being gay or being black. Our show is more about our travails and trying to make it.”

Via Shadow and Act: “The web sitcom ‘chronicles the random misadventures of six college students who form a study group in an attempt to improve their grades, but ends up spending more time in each other’s social circles than in their books.’”

A television series set in Atlanta, GA about three gay black men. For these guys, their lives are enhanced, not defined, by their sexuality. Follow them as they share a living situation that becomes complicated both in and outside of their beds.”

The series is described as a weekly bird’s eye view of four black teenagers entering their senior year of high school. Each episode follows the conversation after assembly, as the girls get ready for the day.

After three good men have disastrous breakups with their unappreciative girlfriends, they decide to become womanizers by enrolling in a class that teaches them how to become the “dog” women can’t seem to resist.

Johnny B Homelessexplores the comic adventures of a young man who migrates from couch to couch. Conceptually inspired by Quantum Leap, each episode has Johnny B. waking up on a different couch, at times needing to remember how he got there. It took the People’s Choice award at the New York TV festival, and Kenan Thompson, of Saturday Night Live, joined to film an episode. Al Thompson, the series creator and star, also has another series, Lenox Avenue.

From Tubefilter: “Co-written by Powell and Flynn (who also directs and features), the series begins as actor Keith Powell, playing actor ‘Keith Powell,’ meets with his agent to discuss upcoming roles. However, Powell’s agent is having trouble finding him work because, since being cast on 30 Rock, Powell is ‘difficult to work with’ and ‘fussy’ about his roles. The only work his agent can find him is in Connecticut. For a repertory theater production of Chekov’s Uncle Vanya. As its director.”

Originally pitched to HBO and Showtime, Kindredgarnered some corporate interest, but its trio of producers and actresses decided to take it online after confronting the lack of demand for black shows on television. The show follows three black women—an artist, public servant and executive—as they deal with family, particularly their mothers, relationship problems, body issues, racial identity problems and career obstacles.

“After being involved in the industry, each of us over a decade really, we were concerned about what we’ve seen on television,” co-producer and star Ella Turenne said of the need for shows about black women “supporting each other.”

“These are real lives. It’s not The Office. Real life is dealing with the good the bad and the ugly,” said Jessica Hartley, co-producer and star.

Per the website: “Left Unsaid begins with a woman using Facebook to invite a large group of women to her new Brooklyn apartment for Sunday brunch. Marisol, recently separated from her music executive husband, has just landed in the Fort Greene area from Manhattan and seeks out new friends in this trendy, rapidly gentrifying neighborhood.Social networking is the engine that brings this multicultural group of women together and it is a thematic link that holds together the various conversations and confrontations that happen on one long afternoon.”

Al Thompson’s dramatic series follows the lives of three friends living in the “new” Harlem. Each man is at a different stage in his life romantically: one has a “friend with benefits,” a relationship he never made official; one has a longtime girlfriend he is considering proposing to; and the other is relatively uncommitted. The show’s leads are financially secure but personally maturing. Thompson grew up in Harlem. The series debuts in 2010.

The Lovers and Friends Show, which has a substantial following on YouTube, focuses on a large ensemble of lesbian and bisexual women of color, most of them black. The series tries to be more than a show, aiming “to build an online community in which people can feel free to express themselves and their sexuality,” according to its Web site.

Via: Milk + Honey is a web series, starring Lance Gross and former FAME star, Debbie Allen, based on the story of four African-American women living and working in Hollywood, Los Angeles, as they strive for success as well as dealing with many trials and tribulations in both their professional and personal lives. Co-produced by Idris Elba.

The New 20sis the brainchild of filmmaker Tracy Taylor and premiered recently at the New York Television Festival. The series explores the lives of a number of black professionals transitioning from the 20s to their 30s. The show tells its story in a semi-realistic way, forgoing one-liners and slapstick bits and focusing on intimate conversations.

“The most important thing about the show is that it be real and relatable and dramatic and funny,” Taylor said in an interview with Black Planet. “Who doesn’t know a single dad or someone who is still struggling to get their career off the ground after 30? I just wanted to show real grown-ups dealing with adult issues.”

From Shadow and Act: “The Next Day…looks at one particular relationship between a black man and a black woman, founded on what could be considered relationship quicksand – a capricious binge of hedonism – and following that couple on to the next day… and beyond.”

Noel Baptiste embarks on a journey to accept his sexuality, joined by three friends Eric, Kori and Danielle. “No Shade is a dramedy, based in NYC and follows the life of Noel Baptise a socially awkward artist from Brooklyn who’s learning to be comfortable with his sexuality and slowly embrace his new attractions. Noel navigates his journey with the help of his three young, eccentric city dreaming friends; Eric D. Stone is the promiscuous bar manager who speaks his mind, Kori Jacobs is the homeless dance teacher, and Danielle Williams is the hopeful, romantic transgender female who always seems to save the day.”

A series about “the one thing you never, ever discuss with your fiancé.” With a guest appearance by Awkward Black Girl creator Issa Rae.

Odessa, (creator: Al Thompson), forthcoming

Odessa follows the story of a father and daughter migrating from small town to small town, escaping a “program” which performed experiments on them. Thompson describes it as Enemy of the State meets The X-Files. The series will last for ten episodes, each about six minutes. Creator Al Thompson describes it as Enemy of the State meets The X-Files. The series will last for ten episodes, each about six minutes. Previously picked up by BET.com, it recently won big at NYTVF.

On the Stoop, which released two episodes earlier in 2009 and will release five more, is most inspired by the ’80s show 227, but is really a throwback to many of the classic black sitcoms of that era. “It was one of my favorite shows when I was younger and as an actress, that’s the kind of comedic work I’d love to do, however, as you can see, shows such as 227, Cosby Show,Amen, etc., don’t really exist for us anymore,” creator Stephanie Parrott told me. “So, I figured, why not write it myself? As my acting career progresses, I plan to do more comedic web series and bring on more talented minority actors.”

Lo-fi web series Orlando’s Joint is about a young man who inherits a second-rate coffee shop.Orlando’s Joint — as in a shop, but also, you know, that other kind of joint — is a comedic series that explores running a local urban business, growing up and being not-so-rich in contemporary Los Angeles. Orlando Reed, our protagonist, is a “stoner” (something of a slacker), but he inherits an coffee shop — that isn’t Starbucks — and clearly intends to reinvigorate it with the help of two friends a few kooky characters.

Part detective series, part supernatural thriller, the eponymous lead in Osiris resurrects roughly thirty minutes after fatal attacks. The series will run for ten episodes starting this month. Episodes can be found here.

Via: “An ambitious hip-hop DJ rides the coattails of an up-and-coming rapper. One problem: the rapper might also be a cannibalistic serial killer.” Finalist at numerous web series competitions and awards, including Indie Intertube, Clicker, ITVF, NATPE, and HBO/NYILFF.

Chris Wiltz, a young filmmaker, created this horror-comedy, spending his own money filming this buddy comedy about two roommates in living in Los Angeles after its been overrun with zombies. Each guy has a very different reaction to the event: one, Joe, “goes into survival mode,” while the other Chris, goes about his life as if nothing has happened.

Alison McDonald (sister of Audra McDonald, who also cameos) stars in this comedy about being a single black woman. Via Clutch: “Instead of listening to yet another relationship expert give us faulty advice about what weshould be doing or watching a film by a man about lonely black women, one woman is taking the matter into her own hands.”

Tara Moseley has been having “just one of those days” on a daily basis. She’s Out of Order finds the funny in everyday frustrations, starring Teresa Michelle Lasley as Tara Moseley, alongside a talented ensemble cast. I co-produced this series with creator and star Teresa Lasley, director Rhonney Greene and writer Derek McPhatter.

This series follows best friends MinDog (Amina Robinson) & Metch (Maechi Aharanwa) as they navigate single life, marriage, motherhood, acting careers, too many feelings, changing bodies, several fears and every other joyous, hellish moment life can bring.

Via: “Eric [is] an author who is gun shy about love. Unlike most shows dealing with relationships, Eric isn’t doling out advice, but rather the recipient of other people’s words on love. His assistant feels bad about his single status and wants to set him up, but will it do more harm than good?”

A comedy about a polygamist. Via website: “Jacob Jones is a a black polygamist who lives in Utah with his three wives – Sarah, Abigail, and Rachel. Jacob recently decided to look for the fourth Ms. Jacob Jones.”

While not specifically focused on “black” experiences, Stream, FEARNet’s sci-fi psychological thriller, stars one of the greatest black actresses today, Whoopi Goldberg. Goldberg’s character experiences a confusing psychological event, blurring her ideas of time and space.

Urban guerrilla sketch comedy. From the website: “Tickles.tv is a new market place that celebrates this niche phenomenon, providing a platform to take unconventional risks that challenge stereotypes, stimulate intellect and celebrate urban culture.”

Per the website: “Vexika™ follows Victoria Bloom, an ambitious Channel 4 TV reporter who loves playing games on her console, is secretly engaged to her cameraman and is also DARPA’s only successful experimental nanoid-hybrid biological cyber-enhanced supersoldier. She must hunt down the deranged failed rejects of the project every month to feed her fatal nanoid adrenaline build up.”

From the website: “Follow this newly married couple on their first hysterical year of being married. Wed-Locked features The Guiding Light’s very own Karla Mosley and Lawrence Saint-Victor, directed by Christina Faison. ‘Getting Married Is Only The First Step.’”

*Disclaimer: There is some folly in labelling a series “black.” Some of the shows below would take that label, some would not. What is a black web series? These are more my best guesses. Some of the shows below have only one major black lead and white side characters; some only have one but it’s a major star; and some have people of color behind the camera. In general, I’m keeping my definition as open as possible.